Lactose intolerance is when someone has trouble digesting lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. Show
If people with lactose intolerance eat dairy products, the lactose from these foods pass into their intestines, which can lead to gas, cramps, a bloated feeling, and diarrhea. Some people can have small amounts of dairy without problems. Others have a lot of stomach trouble and need to avoid all dairy products. Many foods, drinks, and digestive aids are available to help manage lactose intolerance. What Happens in Lactose Intolerance?Normally, when we eat something containing lactose, an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase breaks it down into simpler sugar forms called glucose and galactose. These simple sugars are then absorbed into the bloodstream and turned into energy. In lactose intolerance, the body doesn't make enough lactase to break down lactose. Instead, undigested lactose sits in the gut and gets broken down by bacteria, causing gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Lactose intolerance is fairly common. Kids and teens are less likely to have it, but many people eventually become lactose intolerant in adulthood. Some health care providers view lactose intolerance as a normal human condition and not a disease or serious health problem. Besides age, people can become lactose intolerant due to:
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance?Lactose intolerance can cause a variety of symptoms. It all depends on how much dairy or milk-containing foods people consume and how little lactase their body makes. Usually within 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating, someone with lactose intolerance will have:
How Is Lactose Intolerance Diagnosed?If you might have lactose intolerance, the docto will ask your symptoms and diet. They might test the breath for hydrogen levels before and after you drink lactose. Normally very little hydrogen gas is detectable in the breath. But undigested lactose in the colon breaks down and makes various gases, including hydrogen. If you have a hydrogen breath test, you'll blow into a tube for a beginning sample. Then you'll swallow a drink with lactose in it, wait a while, and breathe into the tube again. You'll blow into the tube every half hour for 2 hours to measure hydrogen levels. The levels should go up over time if you have lactose intolerance. Doctors also can find out if someone can digest lactose by testing for the presence of lactase with an endoscopy. During this procedure, doctors view the inside of the intestines by inserting a long tube with a light and a tiny camera on the end into the mouth. A doctor can then take tissue samples and pictures of the inside of the gut. The amount of lactase enzyme can be measured in one of these tissue samples. How Is Lactose Intolerance Treated?People can manage lactose intolerance by not drinking as much milk and eating fewer dairy products. Most can eat a small amount of dairy. But they need to eat it with other foods that don't contain lactose and not eat too much dairy at once. You may find that other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheeses, are easier to digest than milk. Lactose-free milk is also a great way to get calcium in the diet without the problems. It can also help to keep a food diary to learn which foods you can or can't tolerate. A lactase enzyme supplement can help too. Taking this before you eat foods that contain dairy helps your body digest the lactose sugar in dairy and prevent pain, cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. What About Calcium?Dairy foods are the best source of calcium, a mineral that's important for bone growth. Because teens need about 1,300 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day, experts recommend that even those with lactose intolerance include some dairy in their diet. You also can eat non-dairy products like:
Talking to a registered dietitian is a good idea. They're trained in nutrition and can you come up with eating alternatives and develop a well-balanced diet that provides lots of calcium for developing strong bones. Some teens might need calcium and vitamin D supplements. What happens if you are intolerant to lactose?People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, they have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.
What causes you to be lactose intolerant?Lactose intolerance is usually the result of your body not producing enough lactase. Lactase is an enzyme (a protein that causes a chemical reaction to occur) normally produced in your small intestine that's used to digest lactose. If you have a lactase deficiency, it means your body doesn't produce enough lactase.
How do you fix lactose intolerance?Treatment. Limit milk and other dairy products.. Include small servings of dairy products in your regular meals.. Eat and drink lactose-reduced ice cream and milk.. Add a liquid or powder lactase enzyme to milk to break down the lactose.. What foods to avoid if you are lactose intolerant?Dairy products
Products made with milk, such as cream, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream and butter, also contain lactose and may need to be avoided if you're lactose intolerant.
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What does it mean if you are lactose intolerant
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